Objective

Backing up a website is a vital part of running your business. It offers several advantages:

• Data security: Regular backups ensure your website's data is protected in the event of a cyberattack, technical failure or human error.
• Protection against update errors: A backup made before a WordPress plugin or theme is updated allows you to go back in time if an error or version conflict occurs during the update.
• Rapid Restore: In the event of a technical error, the backup can be reverted to a previous version to offer your customers a functional website and business continuity.
• Legal Compliance: Maintaining regular backups may be a regulatory compliance requirement for your organization and may protect you from legal action.

MainWP offers several extensions for backing up your websites.

This guide explains how to back up your WordPress websites with the UpdraftPlus extension.

Requirements

• A Web Cloud hosting plan.
• Access to your MainWP dashboard.

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Instructions

Install the UpdraftPlus extension

To find all the extensions linked to the backup, go to the backup section of MainWP. You can also search for an extension by clicking Extensions from the MainWP main menu, then Install Extensions. Click on the Backup tab to view the list of extensions linked to the backup.

In this example, we choose the free UpdraftPlus extension, but you are free to choose the extension of your choice.

Once you have selected the extension, click Install Selected Extensions.

In the MainWP main menu, click Extensions then Manage Extensions. The previously installed UpdraftPlus extension appears.

Click Enable to enable the extension. If an error message indicates that the license is not activated, simply click the License button. Before you can use UpdraftPlus, you must enable the UpdraftPlus plugin on the child sites that you want to back up.

Install the UpdraftPlus plugin on a child site

In the main menu of MainWP, click Sites then Install Plugins. In the search bar, type UpdraftPlus.

Once you have identified the "UpdraftPlus: WordPress Backup & Migration" plugin, click Install Plugin. Then, on the right-hand side of the screen, select the child website on which you want to install UpdraftPlus. Click Complete Installation. Remember to tick Activate after installation.

Once the installation is complete, go to the MainWP main menu. Click Sites, Plugins then Manage Plugins. To check that UpdraftPlus is installed on your websites, select the child websites you want, on the right-hand side of the screen. Further down, in the search field Search Options, type “UpdraftPlus” then select Show Plugins.

The extension “MainWP UpdraftPlus Extension” and the plugin “UpdraftPlus - Backup/Restore” are displayed, which means that they are correctly installed on the child websites concerned.

Select the “MainWP UpdraftPlus Extension” and the “UpdraftPlus - Backup/Restore” plugin, then click Install to Selected Site(s) (button in the top right-hand corner).

To ensure that the plugins are enabled on your child website, click Sync Dashboard with Sites, in the top right-hand corner of the interface.

You can now create backups of your child websites with UpdraftPlus.

Create a backup with UpdraftPlus

In the main menu of MainWP, click Sites then Manage Sites. Click the child site for which you want to create a backup, then click the UpdraftPlus Backups tab.

On the screen that pops up, click Backup Now and follow the instructions. To confirm the backup, click Backup Now.

Once the backup is complete, click the ExistingBackups tab.

A new line will appear, corresponding to your backup. You can perform various actions on your backup, including restoring.

Restore a backed up version of a child site

In the MainWP main menu, click Extensions then UpdraftPlus. If you click Existing Backups, a list of your backups will appear.

To restore your website, locate the line corresponding to your backup, then click Restore.

A new window will appear. It contains some information, including a list of your backups.

Identify the backup you want to restore, then click Restore. Remember to check the date to avoid any errors.

Select the elements you want to restore, then confirm. The following confirmation message is displayed:

Go further

Manage multiple WordPress websites with the MainWP plugin

Manage your website’s customer information with MainWP

Improve your website's security with MainWP

Tutorial - Backup your WordPress website

Restore your web hosting plan’s storage space

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